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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. H. GUEST.

ELECTRIC ARG LAMP.

No. 259,007. Patented June 6,1882.

N. PETERS. Fhola-Liflwgmphur. Wnshingwn. D. c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. H. GUEST.

ELECTRIC ARC LAMP.

No. 259,007. Patented June 6, 1882.

N PETERS. Phnm-Ldlwgmphcr. wmm wn. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. GUEST, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC-ARC LAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 259,007, dated June 6,1882.

Application filed March 20, 1882.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. GUEST, of Brooklymin the county of Kings andState of New York, have invented an Improvement in Electric-Arc Lamps,of which the following is a specification.

In a lamp heretofore made by me, and for which Letters Patent weregranted March 7, 1882, No. 254,546, the carbon is fed by'the action ofan axial magnet or solenoid upon a lever-pawl and toothed wheel, towhich latter a frictional spring is applied.

My present invention is an improvement thereon by which the lever andpawl are acted upon by electro-magnets. One magnet of low resistance isplaced in the main circuit to draw back mechanism ready to feed thecarbons, and the other magnet of high resistance is placed in ashunt-circuit to feed the carbon. According to the relative strength ofcurrent so the feed takes place. When the main-line current is weakenedby the carbons being too far apart the shunt-current is proportionatelyaugmented and the carbons are fed until the equilibrium is restored. Ialso provide a shunt between the and binding-posts, that is closed by alever when the current through the electro-magnet in the main circuitand carbons is interrupted.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of the mechanism at the top ofthe lamp, with some portions in section. Fig.2 is a sectional plan atthe line w 00. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the mechanism at thebottom of the lamp. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the device forshort-circuiting the current in case of an injury to the carbon. Fig. 5is an elevation of the lamp complete. Fig. 6 is a plan of the magnetsthat operate the lower carbon. Fig. 7 is a diagram of thecircuit-connections, and Fig.

, Sis a modification of the device shown in Fig.4.

The mechanism that moves the carbon is between the plates at b, that areconnected by columns a, and there is a cylindrical case, b, that servesto protect the parts from dust or injury. This is to be raised up togive access to the parts.

The upper carbon, (1, is in a holder, 6, at the end of a toothed rack,f, and there is a pinion, i, made as a sleeve upon a shaft, is. (SeeFig. 2.) The ratchet-wheel Z is upon this sleeve,

(No model.)

and the wheel a and its pawl are fastened to the shaft k. There is alsoa fine toothed or milled wheel, on, upon this shaft is, and 2 2 are thefixed bearings of said shaft 70. A frictionspring, Z, applies to thewheel a sufficient friction to prevent the same turning by the weight ofthe rack, carbon, and carbon-holder. The ratchet-wheel l and its pawlupon the wheel a allow the carbon-holder to be pushed up when a freshcarbon is inserted. The lever 0 and its pawl 3 act upon the fine teethof the wheel m to force down the carbon; but the carbon can be pulleddown by hand in adjusting it, because the rack in turning the pinion 1',ratchetwheel 1, brake-wheeln, and fine-toothed ratchetwheel m, causesthe teeth on said wheel m to run under the pawl 3. The carbon maydescend by its own weight in consequence of the brake-spring beingpartially raised, as hereinafter set forth.

There are two magnets,Fand 0, having cores 7 and 8, connected with thelever 0 by the links 0 0 These magnets are a-Xial magnets or solenoids,and hence the cores can move endwise within the helices.

The +-line current to the insulated bindingpost 4' passes through thecoarse wire of the magnet O to the plates at b and columns a, and fromthem by springs 18 to the rack f and carbon-holder and upper carbon,thence to the lower carbon, .9, carbon-holder s, and plate t, whichplate is supported by the side bars or frames, '6 t the bar 25 isinsulated at both ends. Hence the current can be and is taken from thelower plate, 2?, through the insulated helix-wires of the magnets a u.and by the insulated wire 12 to the insulated frame-bar t and thence tothe insulated negative binding post 14.. The springs 18 upon one of thecolumns a are in contact with the rack-bar f, and provide a sure routefor the current from the plates a b to the barfinstead ot'dependingsimply upon the metallic contact of f with the plates 60 and b. The wirepassing to the helices of the magnets 24 a should be formed into twobranches, as shown in Fig. 6, and then be united again after leaving thehelices into the one wire 12, so that the resistance of the magnets a ain the electric circuit may be lessened. The branch wires to the pairsof helices u, although only about The bar 25 is insulated at 9, and

half the sectional area of themaiircircuit wires, do not materiallyincrease the resistance, as there are two routes for the current, andthese branch wires form better helicesa for the lower magnets than thelarge wire would, because the several layers in the helices are closerto the core and promote the strength of the magnets, and there is aspace between the four magnethelices for the lower-carbon holder.

The lower-carbon holderis made with a sliding core and armature, 15, andthere is a spring to "aise the carbon and carbon-holder and a screw toadjust the distance'of the armature from the magnet-cores, in order thatthe distance of separation between the carbons may be varied; and Iremark that when the lamp is at rest and the carbons touch each other,the electric current passes freely, and by energizing the magnets tocauses them to draw down the lower carbon and effect the proper separation of said carbons. I provide a cylindrical case, 0 that is attachedto the armature l5 and surrounds the magnets to a and prevents dust andparticles of carbon from lodging upon the faces of the magnet-cores.This cylinder and the lower-carbon holder can be lifted off tofacilitate the clearing after the screw 0 has been removed.

The helix of the solenoid F is of tine wire, and forms a resistance inthe shunt-circuit extending from the b anch wire of the bindingpost 1'to the bar '6, thence to the plate 1 and magnets u. The parts are to bemade with refcnce to the employment of the current required for acertain power of lamp. Hence when the lamp is in operation the currentsthrough 0 and F set up magnetism in their respective cores and tend tomove those cores. The core of F tends to move the lever 0 and pawl 25 inthe direction to feed down the carbons by turning the tine-toothedratchet m. The other sole noid, G, tends to prevent the lever so movingand feeding the carbon and to draw it back preparatory for the nextfeedin Hence, if the current in O exerts the most force on the lever 0,such lever will not act to feed the carbon; but when the current in Uweakens, in consequence of the carbons consuming and becoming fartherapart, then the magnet F in the shuntis augmented and moves the lever,feeds the carbon, and restores the equilibrium. These solenoids F and Cmay each be a single helix, or there may be two helices and cores foreach solenoid, connected by cross-bars in pairs, the other partsremaining the same.

As it is ditlicult to make electro-magnet-s wound with fine wire of thesame resistance, and as I have found that the best results are obtainedwhere there are several lamps in circuit by having the electro-magnets Fof each lamp of equal, or nearly equal, resistance, I therefore place inthe same circuit with the magnet F a resistance, as atf, whenever themagnet 7"is not equal to the standard resist ance. This resistance maybe a glass tube filled with carboirdust or other material, into whichone end of the circuit-wire is sealed, and the other end of thecircuit-wire is pressed into thecarbon until the galvanometer indicatesthat the wire in which F and f are placed is of the standard resistance,after which the glass is scaled around the wire.

The links 0 0 connecting the lever 0 with the cores of the solenoids FC, are adjustable, so that the points of connection to the lever may benearer to or farther from the fulcrum to vary the relative leverage ofthe solenoids.

There is a lever, p, with its fulcrum 28, that has a soft-ironring-shaped end, p around the core of the solenoid G, and at the otherend there is an insulated tip, 20, that supports a slidingcircuit-closer, q, that consists of a slotted weight hung by a pin, 25,that passes through the slot. This block is insulated from the frame,but connected to the binding-post 0'. There is a spring, 26, at the sideof the block 25, which spring is insulated; but it is connected to theinsulated binding-post 1 1-. Vhen the block q is raised and theinsulated tip 20 of the lever 12 passed in beneath it, as shown bydotted lines in Fig. 4-, said block is held up and the circuit betweenthe binding'posts r 14 is interrupted. When the current is passedthrough the lamp the core of the solenoid 0 becomes magnetic andattracts the iron ring 19 of the lever 12, and the'lever is moved andthe tip 20 swings away from below the block g, and said block falls, butit does not touch the spring 26. So long as there is any current passingthrough the carbons the lever-ringp will be held toward the magnet 0;but as soon as the current ceases, in consequence of the arbon breakingor falling out of its holder or otherwise, the magnet O demagnetizes,and the small spring 30, acting upon the leverp, is sufficientlypowerful to swing the block q over into contact with the spring 26 andestablish a short circuit between the and bind ing-posts r and 14, andprevent injury to the solenoid F or any interruption to the other lampsin the light-circuit.

I use the lever 19 for a second object-via, to apply friction to thebrake-spring l and cause it to hold the carbon-rod. There is an arm, lextending out from the said spring Z and passing in beneath the lever12. Hence when the lamp is in the condition of inactivity the carbonsrest upon each other, because the spring-brake l is not enough toprevent the weight of the carbon-holder, rack, and carbon turning thepinion and brake-wheel a; but as soon as the current passes through 0the lever 12 is by its ring end moved and presses upon the lever'arm Zof the brake-spring l, and increases the friction sufficiently to holdthe parts, except when fed by the action of the lever o and pawl 3. Sosoon as the current through G ceases, as aforesaid, and the lever 12 isreleased, the brake-spring is liberated, and the carbon and holder candescend by their own weight, and the circuit through U may thereby beestablished, in which case the ring IIO of the lever 1) beingreattracted and the lever p moved, the slotted block q falls away fromcontact with the spring 26, and the circuit is completely reestablishedthrough the carbons. I remark that it is preferable to move the slottedblock up and support it by the insulated tip of the lever, so that thecircuit between the posts 7' and 14 will be broken after a new carbonhas been inserted, otherwise the current, having three routes, might notbe strong enough in the magnet U to attract the lever 19 and cause thelever 12 to move away from said block q.

A separate magnet, 0 Fig. 8, may be used to act upon the lever 12 andprevent it closing the circuit between the binding-posts r and 14,except when the circuit through the carbons is entirely interrupted andthe magnet c demagnetized, and the same magnet can be employedforapplying pressure to or releasingthe springclamp Z of the brakewheela. The electromagnet 0 will be in the wire circuit between G and theplate I), all the other circuit-connections being the same as in Fig. 7.

In cases where the feeding lever and mechanism only are required, thesame may be actuated by one of the magnets F or O, the movement in theother direction being given by a spring.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination, with the carbon andcarbon-holder, of an electro-magnet the helix of which is of highresistance and in a shuntcircuit, a lever and pawl, a ratchet-wheel andpinion by which the said magnet imparts to the carbon-holder a positivefeed-motion, and a second electro-magnet of low resistance in the maincircuit to draw back the lever and pawl, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in an electric lamp, of the magnetG in the maincircuit, a lever, 12, a spring, 26, and an insulated circuit-closingblock, q, adapted to move vertically, the circuit connections to the andbinding-posts,

and the spring 30, the parts being arranged substantially as specified,so that the block q is supported by the lever 19 previous to the lampbeing lighted and dropped when the current is turned on and theshunt-circuit is closed by the lever 12 and spring 30 acting on suchblock q when the current in the magnet G becomes too weak, substantiallyas set forth.

3. In a mechanism for feeding carbons in electric lamps, thecombination, with the carbon-holder and rack, of a pinion andratchetwheel on a sleeve, a sh aft passing through such sleeve, abrake-wheel and a ratchet-wheel on the shaft, and a brake andfeeding-lever, pawl, and electro-magnet, substantially as specified.

4. The combination, with the'lower carbon, carbon-holder, and armature,of four helices and theircores,said helices beingin two branch circuits,the wires of each branch circuit being about half the size of the wiresin the main circuit, for the purposes and as set forth.

5. The combination, with the carbon-holder, pinion, feed-wheel, lever,and magnet for feeding the carbon, of a friction-wheel, a spring brake amagnet in the main circuit, and a lever to apply the necessary pressureto the springbrake for supporting the carbon when the lamp is inoperation, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, with the carbon-holder and its armature, of fourcores and theirhelices, of comparatively fine wire, connected bybranches in the main circuit, so as to obtain the necessary magneticforce in a small space for separating the carbons without materiallyincreasing the resistance, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this 18th day of March, A. D. 1882.

J. H. GUEST.

Vi tnesses GEo. T. PrNcKNEY, WILLIAM G. MOTT.

